Hot-water heating system



Nov. so, 1948. IF. QBRODERICK 2,455,039

HOT WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 18, 1944 Patented Nov. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOT-WATER HEATING SYSTEM Frederick Broderick, Glencoe, Ill. Application September 18, 1944, Serial No. 554,683

. 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a hot waterdistributing system in which hot water from a single boiler is employed for premise heating and also for heating a supply of water for domestic or other similar uses.

Among the objects of this invention are:

To provide such a system in which a circulating medium heated in a boiler may be circulated so as to simultaneously provide heat for heating the premises and at the same time heat a domestic water supply and in which, when heating of the premises is not required, the domestic water supply will alone be heated, preferably by gravity circulation.

When the heat is supplied to heat exchange apparatus, such as the conventional radiator and at the same time the requirements for keeping a supply of hot water for domestic purposes are met, the control of the heating apparatus is primarily through a thermostat located at any desired point in the premises to be heated while at the same time the domestic water supply is heated to a desired minimum point under control of .a familiar form of aquastat. But when heat is not demanded for the radiators, the heating of the domestic water supply will be wholly under control of the aquastat.

One object of my invention is to attain the above outlined results without requiring a separate hot water tank for domestic water sup-ply.

Another object of my invention is to provide a compact fitting with which these results can be attained more economically by the saving of a quantity of metal commonly used.

Another object is to provide a pump unit so mounted as to be at all times protected against interruption or deterioration from flooding of the room in which t e heater is located.

Another object is to so arrange the mechanism that air in the system may be directly vented from the pump.

Another object is to provide means by which when the heating system is in operation heated water from the boiler will simultaneously be directed into two parallel circuits from a common outlet from the boiler, one circuit comprising the house heating circuit and the other the circuit for heating domestic 'hot water.

Another object is to provide a multiple outlet diversion T for use between such multiple circuits and which is so constructed that a single T will suffice for any of several alternative arrangements of piping.

These and such other objects as may appear are attained by my invention, aspecific embodi- 2 ment of which is shown in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the upper portion of a boiler and the upper portion of a domestic hot water heater equipped with my invention, such figure showing also the pump, diversion T, check valve, expansion tank, aquastat and fittings.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the check valve.

Fig. 3 is a cross section through one form of deflector T.

Fig. 4 is a cross section of an alternative form of deflector T, and

Fi 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings l indicates the top of a conventional boiler. Mounted on the top of this boiler is an assembled unitary fitting comprising a connecting nipple 2, deflector T 3, pump 4 actuated by the motor 5, and gravity valve 6.

Water is pumped from the boiler through the described fitting whence it passes through the pipe 1' to the radiators, not shown. 8 is a connection between the pump 4 and the gravity valve ileading to the expansion tank 10. 8 is an alternative connection for vent 9 to be used when the pump is arranged horizontally. l l is a conventional hand operated shut-01f valve between the pump 4 and the expansion tank Ill. 12 is a pipe leading from the diversion T '3 to a pipe 13 connecting with the top of a usual form of heat exchange device It for heating water for domestic purposes, such as a hot water chamber taking water from and returning it to the boiler and a coil mounted in said chamber, said coil receiving water from a source of supply and connecting through pipe I5 with domestic hot water outlets.

From the heat exchange device i l a pipe it takes hot water for domestic purposes. I6 is a conventional aquastat such, for example, as is shown in my Patent No. 2,073,676, which is inserted at any convenient point to control the heating device for the boiler so as to insure the desired temperature in heat exchange device I 4 for heating water for domestic hot water requirements when the pump is not in operation.

The operation of the motor 5 and the control of the heating mechanism, such for example as an oil burner, not shown, may be controlled in any conventional manner as by a room thermostat (not shown) when heat is desired for the radiators or the heater alone may be controlled by the 'aquastat when heating of the domestic hot water alone is required.

As the system of wiring for such controls is well known and is illustrated, for example, my

will also the pump motor 5.

3 said Patent No. 2,073,676 and does not, per se, constitute a part of the present invention, such wiring is not shown.

The diversion T 3 comprises one outlet connecting with the pipe I2 leading to the domestic water heater, an inlet port connecting with the T 2 from the boiler, and an outlet 3 connectin with the pump.

Projecting into the interiorof the diversion T is a flange A, Fig. 3, so located that when the pump 4 draws water from the boiler a part of the body of water so circulated will pass upward into and through the pump and a part of it will be diverted into the domestic water heater circuit.

This T may be for convenience in installation with various pipe arrangements provided with six ports, Figs. 4 and 5, four of the portsbeing located around the periphery of the T in addi-' tion to the ports leading from the boiler and to the pump. As shown, the diversion flange a is so constructed as to divert a portion of the incoming water to whichever of the peripheral outlets is in use in a given case, while at the same time providing a sufiicient channel at a for the flow of water to the radiating system. The outlets not used will be closed in any suitable manner.

The gravity valve 6 may be of any conventional form. A preferred form is shown in Fig. 2 which shows the valve B seated by gravity on the valve seat C and adapted to be opened by the pressure of water when the pump is in operation.

With this valve, 6 is the inlet, pivotally mounted at 6 and seated by gravity on the valve seat 0. As so mounted it will operate as a gravity check valve if water is pumped through inlet 6 and out through 6 or (i Either of said outlets may be permanently closed if desired. This construction provides a check valve which-may be used in many diiferent positions without necessitating a supply of different check valves for various connections. This check valve fitting may be provided with two or more peripheral ports. When in use the ports not required maybe plugged in a familiar manner.

This providesa compact structure which may be assembled in quantities at the factory and shipped as a unit, thereby saving not only the labor of individual assembly on the job but saving materially over the usual installations where the pump and related Ts, valves and other fitfore the heating medium enters the circulating systembeyond the pump.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The unitary fitting comprising the diversion T 3, pump 4 and check valve 6 is preferably mounted as described above the boilerlevel. In this position the pump and other parts of the fitting are free from interruption or deterioration from flooding or other moisture. Because of the level at which the pump is mounted the air escape from the system may be connected to the pump or at any point between the pump and check valve.

When the room thermostat calls for heat the heater for the boiler will be set in operation as Water pumped from the top of the boiler will be forced through the gravity valve 6 into the radiating system and 8 the valve 4 thence back to the boiler in the usual manner. This operation will continue so long as required by the demand of the room thermostat.

At the same time a portion of the water so circulated will be diverted by the diversion flange a into the heat exchanger for the domestic hot water requirements.

When, however, there is no demand by the room thermostat for heat, the pump motor 5 will stop and the control of the boiler heater will, so long as such condition continues, be solely under the control of the aquastat it, which is mounted at any selected point in the domestic Water heating circuit. Consequently water in the boiler will be heated but will not be circulated to the radiators, not only because the circulating pump is not in operation but because such circulation is positively prevented by the gravity valve 6. Under these conditions the circulation will be by gravity through the pipes l2 and i3 and the heat exchanger M and back to the boiler. The boiler heater will continue in operation until the demand of the aquastat is satisfied but will be resumed whenever the drop in temperature at the aquastat causes the aquastat to call for more heat. Whenever water is withdrawn for domestic purposes there will be a drop in temperature at the aquastat and the boiler heater will be at once brought into operation and continued in operation so long as such conditions continue.

By this arrangement it will be noted that I have dispensed with any requirement for a hot Water tank for domestic purposes and have embodied diversion T, pump, gravity valve and air outlet in a single compact unit, thereby doing away with the various connections which are commonly required as well as dispensing with the tank. In the aggregate this reduces the quantity of metal required and the number of fittings which are usually required, the aggregate amounting to a very substantial saving in labor and material.

I have also provided protection for the pump .unit, have provided a multiple use diversion T and a multiple use check valve structure.

And I have provided a novel combination of household heating circuit with a domestic water heating circuit arranged partially in series and partially in parallel whereby they may operate together or the domestic water heating circuit may operate independently.

Where I have referred to radiators or a radiating system it will be understood that I include any type of heat exchange means involving a conduit for a heating medium which serves to heat a space to the other outlet, 2. check valve fitting connected to and leading from the pump, a radiator supply conduit leading from the check valve fitting, means for operating said pump, and a nipple connecting the boiler to the inlet of said diversion fitting, whereby a portion of the water drawn from the boiler by the pump when active will be diverted to the exchanger supply pipe by the diversion fitting and no portion of the boiler water will enter the radiator supply conduit when the pump is inactive.

2. In a combined hot water system for heating space and domestic water comprising a supply boiler, a radiator supply conduit, a heat exchanger supply conduit and a pump for moving heated water to the radiator supply conduit, a diversion T positioned in the system between the boiler and the supply conduits and adapted to direct some of the water moved by the pump to each supply conduit and a check valve between the T and the radiator supply conduit to prevent water not moved by the pump from entering the radiator supply conduit.

3. In a combined hot water system for heating space and domestic water comprising a supply boiler, a radiator supply conduit, a heat exchanger supply conduit and a pump for moving heated water to the radiator supply conduit, a diversion T positioned in the system between the boiler and the supply conduits and adapted to direct some of the water moved by the pump to each supply conduit, a check valve between the T and the radiator supply conduit to prevent water not moved by the pump from entering the radiator supply conduit, controllable means for operating the pump and means for controlling the temperature of the water in the boiler.

4. In a combined system for supplying hot water to radiators and for service use, a boiler, a hot water supply pipe leading therefrom, a diversion fitting joined to said supply pipe, outlet ports leading from said fitting, a flange extending between said ports to direct some of the water entering said fitting to each of said ports, a pump connected to one of said outlet ports, a radiator supply conduit joined to said pump, a check valve between the pump and the conduit, and a supply conduit for a domestic water heat exchanger leading from the other outlet port, whereby some of the water drawn from the boiler by the pump when in operation will pass to both supply conduits and all of the boiler water will pass to the heat exchanger supply conduit by thermogravitation when the pump is inactive.

FREDERICK C. BRODERICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,453,978 Holmberg May 1, 1923 2,073,676 Broderick Mar. 16, 1937 2,081,831 Moore Mar. 25, 1937 2,104,177 Yancey Jan. 4, 1938 2,290,347 Moore et al July 21, 1942 2,345,209 Moore Mar. 28, 1944 2,373,731 Wilson et a1 Apr. 17, 1945 2,376,632 Sullivan May 22, 1945 

